


May I Escort You Home?

by mosylu



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M, austen au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:14:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23367532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mosylu/pseuds/mosylu
Summary: A little gossip is a dangerous thing. When her dear friend Mr. Ramon returns from London to the tittle-tattle that she's been asking questions about their new handsome, young, and single neighbor, Miss Snow is forced to set him right.
Relationships: Cisco Ramon/Caitlin Snow
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	May I Escort You Home?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [swallowthewhale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/swallowthewhale/gifts).



> Actually both swallowthewhale and a lovely nonny asked me for an obscure AU, on Tumblr so *sweeps arm out like Vanna White*
> 
> Guess whose Austen-trash ass just watched the new Emmmmmmmaaaaaaa

“Miss Snow!”

She paused in the road and turned to see the man dashing up to her. She felt a smile spread across her face as he stopped in front of her and bowed. “Mr. Ramon!” She curtseyed in return. “When did you return from London?”

“Not two hours ago,” he said, re-settling his hat. “May I escort you home?” He held out his arm. 

“You may.” She tucked her gloved hand into his elbow, feeling something deep in her stomach settle at his presence. He had been gone six weeks, visiting friends in London and attending a meeting of the Royal Society. “How was your trip? Was your paper well-received? What did they think of your theories?”

“Well enough,” he said, waving a hand. “I’ll tell you more in a moment. But first, what’s this I hear of you dangling after our new neighbor at the great house?”

Her mouth dropped open. “I most certainly am not!”

“Oh no? I hear tell you’ve been asking most pressing questions all around Middleton about Mr. Allen.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Who said that?”

His eyes sparkled with humor. “A gentleman never reveals his sources,” he said, which was a rank falsehood. “So it’s true?”

“Of course it’s not true. How ridiculous. I’m well past all that.”

He looked at her sidelong, the sunlight through the leaves dappling his form. “Are you, now?”

She looked away. This should be self-evident, but - “I _am_ nine-and-twenty.”

“And so is he.”

“You know it’s different.”

“I don’t see why it should be.”

She didn’t either, but it was the way of the world. She had already been teetering on the edge of spinsterhood when she had lost her beloved at the Battle of Waterloo. 

Now, five years later, Caitlin Snow was firmly established as a thorough old maid. She was lucky enough to have some measure of wealth, inherited from her father, but only enough on which to live comfortably, not enough to tempt a man’s eyes away from younger and prettier women. She’d accepted that long ago.

She shook her head. “Really, it is too bad when a woman as firmly on the shelf as I am can’t express mild curiosity about a new neighbor without being accused of _dangling after_ him.”

“So you have been asking about him.”

She found herself toying with the ends of the ribbons from her bonnet. “Why shouldn’t I? The last time a new person moved to Middleton was five years ago, and that was you. Curiosity is reasonable. I’m certainly not the only one.”

“So which is it? Are you nosing about, or are you sublimely uninterested in Mr. Allen?”

She huffed. “Really, Mr. Ramon, why is it so important to you?”

The silence then made her turn her head to peer into his face. It was frowning and serious, an expression she so rarely saw there that she wondered if she’d unknowingly insulted him.

He blinked and cleared his throat. “It’s just that - I’m your friend. And you’ve been alone a long time. I’m wondering if you’ve decided to change that.” He shrugged and looked away. “That’s all.”

They continued on down the lane in silence for a time. Caitlin toyed with her ribbons some more, feeling all off-kilter.

The first time they’d met, he’d been forced to catch her as she fainted in shock at the news he brought of Lieutenant Raymond’s death. That could have been a most inauspicious start to their neighborly relationship, but in those first dark days, he had established himself as a steadfast friend, and that hadn’t changed in the five years since. They were always arguing about the latest papers of the Royal Society, or chatting about their neighbors, or he was telling some funny story from his past. Silences between them were cheerful and companionable, not stiff and awkward.

She felt as if she’d slammed a door between them, and she hated it.

“Very well,” she said at last. “Since you must know. I have been gathering information about Mr. Allen.”

Under her hand, his arm stiffened for a split second, then relaxed. “Ah-ha,” he said. “So you admit it.”

She looked at him sideways, past the brim of her bonnet. “On behalf of Miss West.”

His mouth gaped for a moment. “Miss West? The judge’s daughter?”

“How many other Miss Wests are there in Middleton?”

“Why?”

She shook her head disbelievingly. “Why do you think?”

“All I mean is, Miss West is more than able to discover her own information.”

“I’m sure I’m not the only one she’s deputized. But she must be careful of how she behaves, you know, if she doesn’t want to incite gossip. She’s a young lady yet and moreover, she’s - ” She paused awkwardly.

“You can say it,” Mr. Ramon said. “Foreign.”

“She is an Englishwoman,” Caitlin said hotly. “She was born here.”

“And so was I. But you know that to certain people, she will never be an Englishwoman. Just as I will never be an Englishman.”

“All the more reason for her to be perfectly correct and discreet at all times. And as an old maid, I have a little more leeway than she does to be publicly curious.”

He nodded, pursing his lips a little. “So you carry intelligence to Miss West of our new neighbor.”

“Just so much as I can do, in my position.” She frowned thoughtfully. “And I think I’ve gleaned all I can.”

“I shall offer my services, then,” he said. “I know Mr. Allen, a little.”

“Do you? Have you met?”

“He’s a member of the Royal Society.”

“I didn’t know that! How intriguing.” Worry touched her heart. Up to this point, she had been the only person in Middleton that could enter into Mr. Ramon’s scientific excitement. But of course, she had neither the means nor the gender to be a member of the Royal Society. What if Mr. Allen supplanted her in Mr. Ramon’s friendship?

He would never desert her entirely, of course. He was far too loyal for that. But the thought of becoming an obligation to him … it made her catch her breath with dread.

“A chemist,” he said, still speaking of Mr. Allen. “A good enough fellow, from what I hear.” He sent her a teasing look as they turned off the lane into the walk leading up to the cottage where she lived with an elderly cousin. “Shall I invite myself to dinner and ask him point blank whether he’s noticed Miss West?”

She gasped. “Indeed you shall not!”

He laughed so loudly that birds took off from the trees in a great flutter and rustle. “Very well, then, I shall be most sly and discreet, and report my findings to you tomorrow. It will give me an excuse to visit you.”

She laughed along with him. “Since when do you need an excuse to see a friend?”

“To see you? I don’t. But it’s nice to have one.” He opened the front gate for her and bowed extravagantly, sweeping his hat off his dark head. She curtseyed and went in the garden.

He shut the gate after her and leaned on it in his casual way. “Tell me something, though.”

“What is that?”

His eyes were strangely intense. “Are you so sure you’ll never change your single state?”

She found herself breathless, though their walking pace had been quite sedate. “I - well. I’m too old - and not wealthy - and - ”

“I didn’t ask if you thought others would consider you marriageable,” he interrupted. “I asked if you would consider marrying. Given the right circumstances. And the right gentleman.”

She smoothed her gloved hands down her skirts, hoping she wasn’t blushing. “I suppose … that if an amiable gentleman of education and fortune were to offer … I might consider it.”

“Might you?”

“Yes. Perhaps.”

He straightened up, a smile curling his lips. “I’m very glad to hear that.” He bowed. “Good day to you, my friend.”

“Good day,” she echoed and watched him stride down the lane until it turned and he disappeared from sight.

FINIS


End file.
